A Window Opens
by foreversnowynights
Summary: They say when a door closes, somewhere a window opens... Human!AU
1. A Broken Window

**A Window Opens**

Love. It's a basic need. A cliché one but necessary at that. Every creature on this small planet needs it. It's how we survive, it's how we create, it's how we live.

But sometimes, we become so involved in our own little world that we forget we need it, or we miss it and the opportunity never presents itself again.

I, Arthur Kirkland am one who missed it. I had so many chances, so many open doors, and when I finally opened my eyes they had closed, slammed shut by the forces of fate. But you know what they say; when a door closes a window opens.

oOoOoOo

It was a wet Saturday towards the beginning of fall in a small city located in New England. The sky had opened up with tears sometime earlier that week and it hadn't stopped since then. It was like the sun had gone off for his lunch break and didn't feel like returning.

I had taken to sitting by the window of my dreary flat to watch the people scamper by, their umbrellas blowing in the wind and the car horns blaring angrily at each other in the grand way New Englanders did as they drove in the most aggressive of ways. It was weeks like this one that made me laugh at the saying "if you don't like the weather wait five minutes and it'll change". Well, I'm sure we've all waited the five minutes required for the change in weather, so where was the sun now? Where was that beautiful sky, and changing leaves everyone talked about here? Where was the spirit? Because all I saw were miserable people to much like myself, just rolling along in that frozen and rampant river we call life.

I watched as a particularly angry car drove through a puddle, splashing the people below. I chuckled and moved away from the window to once again resume looking at that blinking bar WordPad showed when nothing was getting written. That accursed blinking bar that mocked every author as they tried to destroy their writers block. I wish I could set that bar aflame.

oOoOoOo

My publisher hadn't called in weeks. She had given up calling to ask when the novel would be done. I guessed she was bored with my scowl and melancholy mood. Bored enough to ignore me and leave me to my own devices.

Then I received a package from her. It was large, and the box had said fragile on it, I couldn't think of what she could possibly send me until I heard a small sound coming from the box. She sent me a cat. A large, brown and white fluffy cat with the biggest blue eyes I had ever seen in my bloody life.

I was going to kill Elizaveta the next time I saw her.

oOoOoOo

It was about a week after I had gotten that bloody beast of a cat and the rain had stopped when I decided I couldn't stand the fat animal. It ate absolutely everything; I don't even think that it was a cat. Probably some kind of extremely fluffy medium sized dog with a bottomless pit for a stomach, not a cat. It destroyed almost everything inside my small flat, including my own legs from its eagle-like talons. So without further thought, I opened up my window and stuck the cat out onto the fire escape, firmly closing the window once it was out.

I was a little while after that, once I heard the shatter of glass, a loud yowl, and felt something particularly hard smash into the side of my head that I decided I hated my life.

But it was when I saw blue eyes that didn't belong to that bloody beast that I thought that my life might not be so bad. Then the light escaped from my eyes and I fell into the sweet warm embrace of unconsciousness...


	2. Alfred F Jones

Just like an old computer monitor turns on slowly and dully with an irritating sound, I did as well, though I just regained consciousness and the irritating sound was just a heart monitor. But over the irritating noise, I found I could hear another, one smoother and louder carrying highs and lows and a deeper pitch then just a constant beep. After few minutes of listening to the sound drone on and on I realized i was a voice. Somebody was talking to me!

I focused my ears on honing in on the voice and I almost regretted not hearing what the voice had been saying. "And that is how I learned to never give lions french fries!" Oh how I wish I knew what the hell he was talking about...

As I lay there, listening as he started a new story (something about a Nerf gun, Disney and a ninja) I realized it was becoming increasingly brighter, to almost an uncomfortable extent. My eye lids squeezed shut tighter as if they were going to rip but it did nothing to help. I groaned and the voice froze mid word. "Hey buddy you okay?" It asked carefully. I felt a hand tough my own gently and how I wanted to take it in my own and never let the calloused large hand go. But that was a childish wish and I immediately dismissed it as a side effect from drugs. "Buddy?" It asked again. Oh how now I wished it would just belt up. And so I told it to do so, though it came out slurred and mumbled, sounding more like a dying fish. He said nothing after that, but I could tell he was trying to figure out what I had garbled. "Can you repeat that?" He said after a minute, obviously sounding a bit bashful. I just groaned and covered my eyes with my arm. "Oh! It's too bright!" He stood, leaving my hand empty and I listened as his shoes squeaked against the floor while he went to dim the lights. And dim they did.

I sighed feeing very pleased, but a bit groggy and opened my eyes to meet the electric blue eyes I had seen before passing out. I blanked as I gave the young man a once over, noting his golden hair with one strand sticking up and lightly tanned skin. His mind failed to work and he quickly saw the large grin on the stranger's face fade to a look of worry, and once he regained himself he noticed the other was talking to him again. "Dude? Dude! Hello? Do I need to call a doctor? A nurse? Oh god are you having a seizer? Oh crap!" It was then that Arthur found out that the man was an idiot and he groaned in anger at his luck. Of course the person sitting next to him would be a moron. Of course.

"No." He said finally, his voice cracking a bit. He frowned at the sound of it but he continued anyways. "No, I am not having a seizer and no, you do not need to call anyone." He paused thinking, "But I could use a glass of water." The other's face lit up brightly, his 100 watt grin back in place.

"Dude you're British!" Arthur frowned.

"And you are a git, now may I please hve some water?" The blue eyedman nodded frantically.

"Yea, yea sure!" He stood, stumbling over himself to fetch Arthur some water and Arthur sighed, relaxing against the uncomfortable hospital pillow.

oOoOoOo

It was sometime later after the idiot had returned with my water that a doctor came in to check on me, not saying much, grunting more than actual words, but according to him I could be released the next day given my apparent concussion that had out me out of commission for several hours. The one thing I noticed in particular about my doctor was the way his eyes continuously fell on my apparent 'hero'. It wasn't a look of anything but pity towards him. I ignored that and continued to yell at the git for his grammar. It was atrocious.

As I lied there in that hard bed I realized I'd never learnt the blue eyed man's name. I frown and turned to him, seeing that he was talking once again about nothing whatsoever. It drove me crazy. He seemed to have not a care in the whole bloody world. Why wasn't he suffering like the rest of us? Why wasn't he miserable? Why was he a beam of light in a so far dreary world? Why? "Why?" I asked aloud, my eyes growing large as I realized I had spoken my thoughts. He froze, and grinned wider.

"Because I'm a hero!" He proclaimed loudly, his blue eyes sparkling with joy. My head fell to my hands. Of course. "Dude," he said quieter than he had been all day. I glanced up, his lips turned down from his glorious smile and his brows knit together in worry. "You okay?" I blinked and nodded.

"Er, yes. I'm fine. I-" I paused, looking for anything to say. "I just realized I didn't know your name..." His grin returned and my heart flipped. Damn him. No, damn me.

"I'm Alfred! Alfred F. Jones!"

**AN: Why hello there~ I just realized I never posted on the last chapter what the regular update day would be! The days this story will be published on are any day between the span of Friday and Sunday. I'm planning on having this story be between 10 and 15 chapters and it should be updated weekly~ **

**Please R&R!**


	3. Headache

I was a week after I had been released from the hospital and Alfred had yet to leave me be. He called me daily, almost hourly and he had visited 4 times already, praising my fat beast of an animal for finding him in time to 'save' me. It was the longest, more grueling week of my life. But... perhaps the best as well. I wasn't alone, and I had someone to talk to. Someone who actually asked me how my day had been. It was nice. Strange and slightly uncomfortable but nice.

We spoke of many things together and I learned a lot about Alfred. He had grown up in the Boston area, closer to the coast, but far enough inland and away from the cities that he didn't pick up the full accent. He had gone to school and majored in some kind of math and science, what type I wasn't sure, but instead of becoming a scientist or a mathematician, he became a part-time fireman and when he wasn't down at the station he was helping his mum with the family bakery. Compared to mine, his life sounded like a walk in the park. He was happy and loved, and I was not.

oOoOoOo

He took me to a beach. A flipping beach. It was October. Did he think I was going to go swimming? He smiled at me as we walked, my scarf drawn over my mouth and the tip of my nose, only showing my pink tinged cheeks. I scowled back though he couldn't see it. "So Artie, what do ya think of the beach?" I shivered and ruffled my scarf up before answering.

"Ifs bwoody cld." He frowned and creased his brows together.

"Wha?" I moved the scarf from my mouth.

"It's bloody cold you git!" He laughed.

"Well duh! It's October!" I blinked and shut up. Such a simple response and it had silenced me. The git. We walked around the water's edge a few moments more until I slipped in the moist sand on some sea weed and tumbled into the water. My eyes widened and my mouth opened in a scream.

"Noooooooo!" I shouted as I flailed in the water. Some of it got into my mouth and I began to choke. I heard a chuckle and I was lifted from the water.

"Hehe, hey Artie you do know you were only in like, two feet of water right?" I blushed furiously but began to shiver.

"G-git! If I get sick it's your bloody fault!" He just laughed and sat back into the sand.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Artie~!" The loud voice of Alfred boomed, making me grind my teeth at the nickname and wince at the volume. It made my brain vibrate against my skull. Another migraine. This one had lasted days. Since we had returned from the beach actually. I had been able to ignore it around the loud voice, but today I wasn't sure. But I was sure I paled a bit. I counted down in my head.

'3-2-1-' the door slammed open to my flat. I winced and my toes curled in my shoes. I wanted to cover my head with a pillow to block out the sounds much like a child would. I wish I could lock him out some days, but unfortunately the door must be unlocked. I know leaving doors unlocked is a bad idea, especially after I had been attacked and nearly robbed, but after Alfred's first three visits I learned that if I didn't want to continue to replace the lock I would just leave it be. As soon as he had entered my flat, he lifted me into his arms for a crushing hug and swung me around. "Git!" I shrieked loudly, fingers digging into his shoulders in fear as my legs swung freely out behind me and into the air. He laughed at me and then placed me back to the ground where I wobbled dizzily and still managed to glare at him. He grinned wildly. I scowled as my stomach rolled inside of me. Why did I have to be sick now? Oh ya, maybe it was the lack of sleep and eating. Nice one Arthur.

"So Artie-"

"Arthur!" I interjected. He ignored me.

"-whatcha wanna do today?" I grinded my teeth together and muttered the correction of his improper English under my breath. My stomach clenched. I sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know." I breathed out and closed my eyes. "I'm tired Alfred. Can't you go bother someone else?" It wasn't like I had been having a bad day. No, he tended to make my days brighter, but unfortunately today he just wasn't enough to brighten me. He frown at my rejection and moved close to me. I froze up and took a tense step back.

"You okay Artie?" I didn't look at his face though that wasn't hard to do considering how tall he was. Instead I took to glaring at my shoes. I don't believe they had done anything to deserve my death stare, but I'm sure one day they will have deserved it. A cool hand touched my forehead and I reeled back into a wall, my arms flying up into a defensive position. Alfred froze his eyes wide in a shocked expression I had never seen on him before. His lips were parted slightly and his sky-like eyes as large as dinner plates. His arm was still where it was when he went to touch me.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times like a fish with no water. I then ran into my bathroom and emptied the contents of my stomach into the toilet. I clenched my eyes shut tight. Tears began to peek out the corner of my eyes and my stomach churned and once again emptied itself. I wanted to scream at my body to stop. It wouldn't have listened even if I did.

A cool hand pressed against my forehead and one began rubbing my back, pressing lightly on my spine. I was sure someone whispered something in my ear, but I heaved once again. This was growing painful. I was sure everything coming up was bile. I winced again.

A few more minutes passed and I just wanted to rest my head on the cool porcelain. But the blue sky above me frowned at that, and instead lifted me up and placed me in my bed.

"Sleep." The sky said. For once in my life, I listened without complaining.

My sleep was dreamless, but it was a blue dreamless instead of black.

oOoOoOo

I awoke to a fowl taste in my mouth and a dry throat. I smacked my lips together and looked around in a daze. I could hear something coming from my kitchen. I groaned and laid back against the bed. Another robber? The sound stopped, and then footsteps came towards my room. The door creaked open. "Artie? You awake man?" I relaxed. Good it was just Alfred. ...

"ALFRED?" I yelled (croaked). He winced at the sound my throat made.

"Yea dude, you should have told me you were sick." I frown. Sick? I wasn't sick!

"I'm not sick." He gave me an incredulous look.

"Then why the hell were you throwing up?" I froze and groaned.

"Migraine. I had a migraine and I got sick from that." Alfred's face fell into guilt. "What?"

"The beach..." He mumbled, head hanging low and lower lip drawn over his upper. I froze recalling what I had said to him and felt a pang of guilt all my own.

"I'm sorry Alfred; it wasn't your fault I got sick..."

"B-but I got you sick!" I scoffed.

"No you git, it was the ocean's fault for being so god damn cold." He pouted once again and I sighed. "Alfred, it wasn't your fault. I..." I paused, I didn't want to praise the boy for bringing light to my stormy life, yet I didn't want him to develop a storm of his own. "I want to thank you for saving me that day. The day I was almost robbed..." I glanced at his face and he seemed in shock for a moment, he then smiled brightly.

"Well I am a hero~"

"Git!"

**AN: Hey guys! So I'm thinking this Monday update will be a regular thing now ^^" I don't really like this chapter. I just doesn't go well with me and I feel bad for making Artie sick just a few weeks after he had left the hospital -_-" I'm thinking this was just a filler...**

**Well, be ready because next week will be when the action starts! (hopefully...)**


	4. A Visit to Salem

So the week passed, and Alfred visited every day, making me food and making sure I was fully rested. I felt like a child. The way he fawned over me drove me up a wall. I was older than him for Christ's sake! Older! But none the less, I let him faun.

We traveled around more as All Hallows Eve snuck up on the calendar, just a week away. Alfred was exited about it. He would jump up and down like a child and talk about the kinds of candy he was going to get. I just rolled my eyes.

During that week we traveled to Salem, famous for the Witch Trials and it's festivities for October.

As we walked the streets I stopped in front of a large castle like building. "Alfred?" I said to him. He hummed in answer. "Can we go in here?" I didn't need to ask. But I felt it was right to. Knowing how scared he became of such silly movies, I could never tell the next moment he would jump into my arms and scream for help. He looked up and paled a bit then looked to the sign hanging to the right that read "Salem Witch Museum".

"S-sure..." I looked at him cautiously.

"Are you sure?" He nodded, not saying a word. I sighed. "Okay..." We walked into the building and bought two tickets for the next show. As we waited I walked around, looking at all the signs and reading information.

"Oi! Mister!" I turned to see a young ginger girl standing behind me. Alfred was standing behind her looking quite sheepish. I groaned and rested my hand on my face.

"What did he do now?" She gave me a confused look and shook her head.

"He hasn't done anything. I was just wondering if I could sit with you two considering how my family ditched me here again and I don't really feel like walking home." I blinked at her straight forward dema-er- question and nodded. Alfred grinned brightly and hugged me.

As it turned out, the young girl had grown up in the Salem area and came to the museum multiple times a year. She told me many things about the trials and about the supernatural in New England. More then I had ever heard. She spoke fondly of it all and her blue eyes sparkled much like Alfred's behind her glasses' frame. She made me think of a younger sibling the way she spoke and looked at us, her eyes wide and admiring as she took us around Salem spilling any piece of information she has about the old town she had stored in her brain.

The museum wasn't that scary, in fact it was quite tongue-in-cheek. Alfred however, clung to my arm and whimpered throughout the whole thing. I'm surprised it was still attached when it was over.

As the day was brought to an end, so was our tour, stopping at some old park surrounded by willow trees and located on a long beach. We sat ourselves on the rocks and ate, what the young girl proclaimed to be, the best popcorn in the world. I have to agree with her, the popcorn really was the best popcorn I had ever tasted and I suddenly felt glad she had bought the "small"* bag of popcorn.

I couldn't help but feel at this moment that all was right. Sitting here, with two good people, eating popcorn and watching the sunset (and kids jumping off the docks but that was a heart attack for another day). I smiled, but just a bit. I wished it would be that way forever. But of course the day ended and the young girl left us with only a name (Jen) and her number if we were ever around.

oOoOoOo

I went home that evening and Alfred slept over, lounging on the couch and snoring noisily as my beast of a cat dozed next to him. I chuckled at the sight as I watched the cat's brown bushy tail cover Alfred's mouth and he breathed in, and then flicked off as he breathed out.

Laying a blanket over the two I smiled and then went to my own bed and felt into a fitful sleep.

oOoOoOo

As Alfred and I spent more time together I, my writer's block disappeared and gave me inspiration to continue writing. Elizaveta was thrilled, elated even. Sure that made me happy that she was happy and I was writing, but had I known that she was going to now plant cameras in my clothes to catch a glimpse of Alfred or for some strange thing she "squweed" with Kiku**, I would have never mentioned him around her. Or smiled for that matter.

Damn them both. Or at least damn them for their ninja like skills...

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

One cool day as Alfred and I were preparing for Halloween I finally learnt what Alfred did while he wasn't spending time with me.

"Me? I don't do much. Just hero stuff! I play video games with my other friends, Kiku and Tony! And sometimes I hang out with my brother Mattie-" I had to cut him off there, and not just because he plays video games with my boss's lackey.

"You have a brother?"

"Yea," Alfred said looking at me funny. "I haven't told him about you?" I shook my head and he let out a grunt. "Oh... well I do! His name is Mattie and we're twins! 'Sept, he lives in Canada." I frown as I continued to hang the decorations.

"Why is he so far away?" Alfred didn't respond for a moment.

"My mum took him with her when my folks divorced." I winced and felt bad for asking such a personal question.

"I'm sorry Alfred. I shouldn't have asked something so personal." Alfred shook his head and brought me into a large hug. I felt awkward, as my arms were pinned to my sides but I didn't feel compelled to hug back at the moment.

"It's okay Artie." He breathed onto my neck and I stiffened. He then released me and went back to carving the pumpkin.

Alfred then felt the need to throw pumpkin guts at me. We threw the smiley guts back and forth, destroying my flat, but exhausting ourselves in the process. We fell asleep on the couch together with my fat cat sleeping on our lap.

I decided to name the beast of a cat Pumpkin. It fit him well.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**AN: Hey guys! I was so close to not posting this today, you have no idea ^^" I've been very busy. But yes! More characters are being introduced (kinda)! I know that Americat has not been named Pumpkin in any other story, but I thought it would be cute considering how Alfie and Artie had that pumpkin gut throwing fight thing~**

**So, on with the details yea? The places they stopped in Salem are actual places. The Salem Witch Museum and the Salem Willows, both are historical land marks and if you take a trolley ride you'd be able to hear the history on both places as well as many others. Salem is famous for October, but it's a jerk to find parking.**

***In actuality, the popcorn bags are about the size of a torso of a very, very large person. If you get a box of it however you get what looks like a movie theater medium sized box of popcorn. And yes, I do actually believe that this place has the best popcorn in the world. They use a machine that is over a hundred years old to make it and there is just no way to describe the taste. It's buttery, but not too buttery, it's salty, but not too salty, it tastes like the movie theater brand, but also like the kind you would pop over the gas oven with your family on movie nights. It's just perfect ^^**

**** So Elizaveta is Arthur's editor, but Kiku is like, her assistant. You so know they had to be together to get their yaoi fill. They just can't not exist in this story without each other XD**

**All characters (except for Jen) belong to Hidekaz Himaruya**


	5. Halloween

"Boo!" Alfred yelled as he answered the door for the trick-or-treaters. They shrieked and giggled in excitement and held their bags out for their candy which he gladly gave to them.

I sat lamely on my couch watching him as he did so. It wasn't like I didn't enjoy this holiday, because I did. I was just tired. Very, very, very tired. The door shut and I quickly pulled my arms close to my sides. "Ready to finish the movie Artie?" Alfred said excitedly.

"No!" I shouted. But it was too late. Not even a minute after hitting the play button my arm was losing circulation and I could barely breathe. Alfred's screams and whimpers drowned out the sounds of the horribly made American horror movie. Was a door slamming really so frightening? After some time the doorbell rang again and Alfred screamed, once again. I sighed and peeled him off my arm, though I ended up dragging him to my door anyways. The git wouldn't release my leg from his terrified and strangling grasp.

The evening continued like this, the stopping and going of the movie drown out by Alfred's screams off terror with the random intervals of handing out candy to children dressed in their costumes. All and all, I would say it was a nice night.

As I got ready to head to bed, seeing as it was past one in the morning, Alfred stopped me with a weak call. "Artie..." His voice was soft and sick sounding, much like a child in the hospital. Alfred sounded terrified. I froze, and turned to him fast hoping that he was okay.

His face was pale and his eyes were wide. "Artie can I stay here tonight?" I blinked. "Please?" He asked looking as if he were about to burst into tears. The look of pure fear pasted across his face as I stood frozen in confusion, wondering what could have sent Alfred into such a pitiful fright.

"Alfred," His gaze on me never broke; it wavered, but didn't break. He nodded. "Were you that afraid of the movie?" He looked to the floor and a blush broke out on his face. I sighed. "You were weren't you?" He nodded. "Fine." He looked up, blue eyes glimmering in happiness.

"Really? Oh my god thank you Artie!" He yelled as he pulled me into a crushing hug.

"Git! Let go of me!" I choked out as the air left my lungs. He released me and I began to regret saying yes.

"Artie, can I sleep with you?"

"No."

"But Arttttttttiiieeeeeee!" He whined, clutching my arm again. "I don't want the monsters to attack you!" I growled at him, though I could clearly hear in his voice why he wanted to sleep with me. He was still afraid and he wanted to seem tough and "protect" me.

"No."

"?"

"No."

"Artie..." He whimpered again. I turned to look and him and flinched. _'Damn.' _I thought as I stared into his wide blue eyes, lip drawn up at such an angle that it made him look like a child. His whole face screamed 'kicked puppy'. My eye twitched as I fought against the look. It was so darling, so innocent, so needy for help. He looked like a child. I couldn't say no to a child! But Alfred wasn't a child. So could I say no to him? As the inner turmoil took place, Alfred continued his stare until,

"Fine." I said giving up. "You can sleep with me." He squealed with joy. I, on the other hand, did not.

I slept horribly. Alfred, he... he snores. He snores loudly too. And he is a bed hog. He flung his arms all over my bed as he slept. I tried to leave a few times, but every time I did he began to whimper in his sleep. The big baby.

I eventually did fall asleep though.

oOoOoOo

I awoke feeling warm, and lethargic. I closed my eyes again and cuddled into the warmth around me, feeling too tired to question it.

Later I woke up again, but this time missing the warmth that had engulfed me as I slept. But I did wake up to the smell of bacon, eggs and toast. Yawning, I got out of the warm bed and skittered to the kitchen, trying to avoid touching the cold floor.

Standing in wool sweat pants and a t-shirt, Alfred made breakfast. He glanced over at me and grinned. "Morning sleepy head!" He said with a laugh. "You sure did sleep late!" I frown and glanced at the clock. It read eleven am. I nearly choked on air.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I shouted. Alfred held up his hands in defense.

"Hey it's Saturday dude, relax! No one works on a Saturday!" I relaxed at his statement, though I retained my scowl. He chuckled and put a plate full of eggs bacon and toast in front of me. "Eat up!"

I did. It was...eatable. I felt shame rise in my chest at how nice his cooking looked while mine looked like a pile of soot. Not that there was anything wrong with the way I cooked! My cooking was impeccable! His was... okay... He wolfed down his food and then went for seconds. And then thirds. And then he just ate the rest, claiming that he didn't want good food to go to waste. The git.

oOoOoOo

We dressed after breakfast and I worked a bit on my book as he flipped through channels, trying to find something interesting to watch, though I know I did before he did. Pumpkin, the fat git, jumped up onto the couch looking for some attention and after ten minutes of rubbing against Alfred and purring, snatched the remote away from Alfred and began to run around the flat with it. Alfred of course, chased after him, yelling and screaming, slipping and sliding, crashing and burning, right into a wall. Pumpkin jumped on top of the toppled over Alfred with a gleam of triumph in his eyes. I laughed.

oOoOoOo

November was cold. The frost came fast and swept the green grass into a white haze, wiping the lively plants off the surface of Boston. My window was foggy and frozen with the frost and it stayed at misty white. Pumpkin took to sitting by my window with me when Alfred was at work (he had gotten a job at MacDonalds) or too busy to come and "hang out" at my flat. It seemed to me like he was too busy for me seeing as he only visited once or twice a week now. I felt like I was stumbling back into my old routine of misery.

I jumped at the sound of my phone ringing. I checked the caller ID. "The Hero".

"Idiot." I muttered as I answered the phone, "Hello?"

"Artie? Hey dude, listen I wonder if you were busy on next Thursday." I frown. Next Thursday?

"Alfred that's Thanks Giving."

"Yea I know." He replied; I could see him nodding in my mind, his grin fading just a bit as his brain worked to see if he missed something. "Do you want to spend Thanks Giving with me?" I sputtered nonsense at that moment, my arm that wasn't holding the phone wilding gesturing to a man that couldn't see me.

"B-b-but you should spend it with your family!" I stuttered out.

"Yea. I know. But you're gonna come right?" I pulled a blank. He was inviting me to... meet his family? What am I, his boyfriend? We've barley known each other two months and the git is inviting me to god knows where for Thanks Giving?

"Yes." I deadpanned.

"Yes?"

"I'll go." Damn me. Damn me to Hell. "It sounds lovely." Why? Why me?

"Awesome! My mom will be so happy to finally meet you!" Good lord kill me now. "And you can meet Mattie too!" Please. Please! "Dude this is going to be awesome!"

"I will see you Thursday then?"

"Yep! I'll pick ya up at 8 so be ready!"

"Will do Alfred. See you later."

"Bye Artie!" _Click_, the phone went dead and I continued to hold it in my hand before placing back on it's charger and going to take an Advil and go to bed. Pumpkin meowed loudly and I looked back at him.

"I don't care if it's only 2, I'm going to bed." He only meowed again and with a purr, followed me into my room and curled up with me for warmth.


	6. Meet The Jones

It was a few days after Alfred called me to invite me to Thanksgiving that he told me he had gotten a second job as a waiter. I was happy for him, but after that he visited me less, and I was alone once again.

So I began to write, and it consumed my life when he wasn't there. I would stay up for days at end and then when he visited again, I would relax and sleep, only to slip back into my writing coma and eat and sleep when he came back. I felt bad that my existence began to rely on Alfred. He shouldn't have to come and fix me once again.

I started to eat again on my own and sleeping, though it wasn't a lot of food, nor a lot of sleep. Pumpkin eventually began dragging me to bed in the mornings, and being the persistent little bastard he was, he succeeded every time.

oOoOoOo

"Artie~!" Alfred called for me, waking me up as the sun streamed in though my window.

"Go away." I mumbled, tossing a pillow at my door. I heard him laugh and then I was engulfed into a large hug. I squirmed a bit and then went limp, too tired to fight the big lummox. I could tell Alfred was frowning as he placed me on the ground and when he spun me around to see my face my suspicion was confirmed.

"Dude, have you slept at all this week?" I blinked lazily and then nodded.

"What do you think I was just doing?" He laughed a grin stretching across his face.

"Well are you ready?" I frown, my brain searching for what Alfred had planned for us that day.

"For what?" I said eventually.

"Ya know, Thanksgiving? I invited you to come over my place for it!" My frown grew.

"But Thanksgiving isn't for another two days..." He chuckled, squeezing me tight to his chest. I squirmed to escape his grasp again and this time he let me go. I fell back onto my bed with an unintelligent "omft". He laughed again.

"It sure is! But we're going today!" I pulled my blanket over my head with a groan.

oOoOoOo

We arrived at his childhood home two days early. It was a large white colonial, with black shutters that accented the equally as big windows. The house had a lush garden growing around it that was still green even though it was growing closer to the chill of a white winter. We stepped out of Alfred's car and I couldn't help but let my jaw drop at the mansion of a house. Alfred laughed. "Ya like?" He said with a boom and a clap on my shoulder that sent me forward a few steps. I nodded.

"It's a beautiful house..." I muttered, still taking in the size. He chuckled again and then snatched up my bags and his under his arms and pushed me forward with a swift kick to my arse.  
>I yelped and scuttled forward, feeling dwarfed by the house. The manicured door opened as soon as Alfred's busy hand gave it a thump, revealing a young but large (not in the fat sense so much as the busty and tall) looking woman with an equally as large grin much like her son's.<p>

"Alfred!" She squealed and threw her arms around him, holding him tight. I gave a little snicker at the way Alfred looked; his face smushed into the woman's head and his cheeks a very warm red.

"Hey mom!" He said awkwardly as she released him. She then turned to me and reached for me.

"You must be Arthur!" She said happily as she pulled me close, my face squished into her breasts as she dragged me into a crushing hug. Alfred laughed loudly as my arms waved around crazily for my futile fight for oxygen.  
>Once the woman released me as well I fell to the ground in a daze, my face and ears a bloody red.<p>

Not even five minutes had passed since I had met Alfred's mother and I was already scarred for life.

Alfred helped me up after a few minutes of laughing and his mother fretting over me, asking if I had caught a cold because I felt warm. She rutted and snatched up one of our bags, dragging it into the house as Alfred continued to snicker. I gave him a nasty glare.

"Well Artie I think she likes you!" I huffed and smacked him on the back of the head.

oOoOoOo

They had placed me in the guest bedroom next to Alfred's bedroom. My suit case sat unattended on the green bed. My eyes inspected the room, coming to envy Alfred a bit from the kindness and wealth of his family.

The room, my room for the next five days was painted a light cream colour, with gold, green and black accents. The bed spread was a deep green with gold pillows lying lazily at the head of the queen sized bed. There was a mahogany bookshelf to match the dresser and bed frame which was filled to the brim with old looking books. Under the windowsill was a bench in the most perfect spot for one to read.

With a content sigh I collapsed on the bed and sunk into the soft blankets. My eyes drifted shut and I fell into a deep sleep.

oOoOoOo

I was awoken later by bells chiming and I stood up, stretching my still sleepy limbs and walked off to explore the house.

After an hour of wandering mindlessly through the endless hallways I reached a set of large doors. I knocked once to be sure it wasn't anyone's room and heard a deep voice say "Enter." 

I obeyed the voice and opened the door to peek in. Sitting inside was a man who looked much like Alfred, sitting in a large cushioned chair. He glanced up at me and placed his pen down, folding his hands and gesturing for me to come in. "You are Arthur, I presume?" I gave a jerky nod and the man chuckled. "Sit down Arthur." I did so. I looked at him strangely as Mr. Jones gave me a once over. He then stared at me right in the eyes.

"Now you tell me _Arthur_," I flinched at the way he said my name, "What are your intentions with my son?" I froze and gave the man an incredulous look.

"E-excuse me?" I asked baffled. He huffed.

"What are you after? His money? His looks? Sex?" I sputtered and reeled back in my chair, causing it to tip over with me in it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I shrieked, appalled and frightened of the man in front of me at the same time. My arms flung around as I struggled to get up from the overturned chair. He stood, deep blue eyes flaring in protection, glaring at me from where I was toppled over on the floor.

"I know you're after something _Mr. Kirkland_." He hissed. I stood then, wobbling a bit, but holding my ground to the crazy man in front of me.

"I am after nothing!" His blue eyes scanned me and then he laughed. My mouth fell open in question but nothing came out but a squeak as he came around his desk and gave me a bear hug. '_The hell is wrong with these people?_'I thought as the man continued to laugh.

"You are a funny little man Arthur." He said chuckling. He gave me a smack on my back that sent me sprawling onto the floor. "I'm glad Alfred found a friend like you." I nodded numbly and stood up, my legs wobbling.

"Y-yeah. M-me t-to..." He continued to laugh, and then stopped suddenly and looked at me seriously. I flinched.

"I'm glad we had this talk. I will see you downstairs in the dining room in twenty minutes. You may leave now." I nodded and left the room shaking.

What have I gotten myself into?


	7. Exploration of the Home

After my... strange encounter with Mr. Jones I went back to my designated room and sat on my bed, staring at the wall. My mind ran blank after my interesting... conversation with the head of the house, and I began to really wonder what the hell was wrong with Alfred's family. I'm not sure how much time passed by before a knock came from my door and I glanced weakly at it.

"Y-yes?" The door creaked open, and Alfred poked his head in with a timid smile.

"Hey dude, it's dinner time." I nodded and stood up, fearing what would come next.

As we walked down the hallway an uncomfortable silence fell over Alfred and I until he broke it with and awkward laugh. "So... I heard you met my dad?" I gave him a jerky nod. He sighed. "Yea..." He paused and looked down to the floor. "I'm sorry if he seemed a bit terse with you." I snorted and he looked at me funny. "What exactly did he say to you?" I tensed up and mumbled a few carefully chosen curses as well as some random words with no meaning or connection to my discomfort.

"Er..." Alfred chuckled and looked away from me.

"You don't have to tell me." I nodded and the rest of our walk was silent.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mr. and Mrs. Jones were already seated at the large table, conversing from each end as well as another who looked very much like Alfred. Shockingly so even. Alfred's face lit up and he gave a shout of "Mattie!" as he ran toward the other and brought him into what I had found was a hereditary hug. The other let out a strangled yelp at the hug. He looked to me out of the corner of his eyes with sympathy and I felt the pang of fear return to my stomach as I sat myself down next to Alfred.

oOoOoOo

The one word I could think of to describe the dinner was chaos. Pure and utter chaos. Alfred and his mother spoke loudly, yelling out while they ate in excitement. While the father and 'Mattie' sat quietly, the father brooding and Mattie trying to chime in, but was ignored. It was entertaining to a certain extent, the chaos brought a small smile to my face and I couldn't help but feel relaxed around the crazed family. The laughter and candid acts of them brought me a piece of happiness that I hadn't felt since I had first met Alfred.

It was nice.

oOoOoOo

The evening went by quickly and soon I found myself half asleep in an oversized chair near the large home's main fireplace. I had a lazy smile on my face at the full feeling in my stomach and the warmth radiating from the fire. My eyes were closed and a book I had found on a bookshelf in the room rested open on my chest. I couldn't help but think how surprisingly peaceful it was considering how the dinner went...

I heard footsteps enter the room I was in and then a soft sigh was heard. I wanted to open my eyes to see who it was, but after several weeks of little or no sleep my body was refusing to obey. I felt a pair of arms circle me, one settling under my knees and the other lifting from my underarms. I was lifted up and my head lolled onto the persons shoulders and they chuckled. I frowned a bit and squirmed to get comfortable in their arms. They moved in long strides and soon I found myself laying on something soft and warm. I curled up as a blanket was placed around me and I fell into a deep sleep.

oOoOoOo

The next morning when I woke up the sun was peeking through the green curtains of the room, shining into my eyes. I frown as I sat up and stretched, looking around my room and guessing that someone (Alfred) had carried me up while I had been dozing. The git.

I got out of the bed, shivering a little and then check the clock, and got the surprise of the late time in which I had awoken.

After getting dressed I made my way downstairs to a quiet house. 'Mattie' looked up from the book he was reading and gave me a soft smiled. "Good morning Mr. Arthur. I trust you slept well considering how it's past noon." I returned his smile sheepishly and scratched the back of my neck.

"Ah yes. I did sleep well." He chuckled softly and I began to think that he was the most normal person in the Jones family.

"I never properly introduced myself did I?" He asked quietly, his voice calm in an eerie manner. He stood and walked over to me holding out his hand. "I'm Matthew Williams, Alfred's older twin brother." Feeling a little surprised at not just his different last name but also that he was older, I took his hand and shook it.

"It's a pleasure. I'm Arthur Kirkland, but you already knew that." I said with a smile. He chuckled.

"Yes, Alfred's told me a lot about you. He seems much happier now that he has you as a friend." I blushed.

"Ah, he has made an improvement on my life as well." He chuckled once again.

"He tends to do that." I nodded and blushed again.

"Er, where is he by the way?"

"Ah, he went out with our dad to get some pumpkins. And mere went to the store for some last minute shopping." I nodded and then followed him into the room he had been sitting in, seating myself into a chair after finding a book to read myself.

oOoOoOo

Alfred and his dad came back later that day, talking loudly about the football game and the parade that was to take place the next day. His blue eyes landed on me as I read and a grin spread across his face. "Hey Artie!" He yelled, drawing both Matthew and I from our books.

"Ah, hello Alfred." I said with a smile. He blinked, and his grin grew even larger. "How was the pumpkin picking?"

"Great! We got a couple huge ones! Mom's gonna make some pumpkin pie later!" My eye twitched at his grammar, but when he grabbed my arm and shoved my shoes and jacket towards me, proclaiming that he wanted to show me around I couldn't help but smile.

oOoOoOo

The estate Alfred's family lived on was enormous, covered in trees of every colour and type. The grass by now had turned a wheaty tone as it died for the oncoming winter months, though it was still long and waved in the wind like the sea did on a stormy day. Alfred smiled and closed his eyes as a strong gust of wind burst into us. He let out a sigh. "Ya don't get this in the city." I nodded my head in agreement as we continued to walk. "When I was little," Alfred began, plucking a long strand of yellow grass from the ground as we strolled through the field, "Mattie and I use ta play in this field every day. We even had my dad build us some swings from one of the trees." He smiled softly in nostalgia. "I wonder if they're still there..." He murmured. I glanced at him and hummed, pulling my jacket closer to my body as another cold blast of wind struck.

"Would you like to go check?" He shot me a look clearly saying 'You sure?' and I nodded. He smiled and took my hand in his, dragging me through the field to the center where one giant oak stood. Its trunk was thick and sturdy with branched as wide as a person jutted out at every angle until they reached a tip. Hanging from an especially thick branch were two swings, moving slightly in the breeze. I looked at Alfred and smiled. He had this calm expression on his face as he walked over to them and gently touched the fraying rope.

"This brings back memories..." He said quietly, looking softly at the swings. His eyes turned back up to mine and he grinned. "Let's go back to the house." I nodded.

oOoOoOo

He had me sit back on the family room couched wrapped in a warm blanket as he got warm apple cider for us to drink. He came back into the room a few minutes later with the two cups and a movie under his arm. "What movie?" I asked as I took my cup from him. He grinned and held out the case for me to see. I raised a brow at it. "The Sword in the Stone?" He chuckled.

"Yea! I would have gotten out my old VHS to watch it, but my dad said that we can do that tomorrow." I sighed and shook my head with a smile as he placed the old Disney movie into his DVD player. As the movie began he jumped onto the couch, pulling some of my blanket over his legs and curling up in such a manner that I thought he was a kid. He glanced at me and grinned. "You should really like this movie Artie." He said, eyes twinkling in the reflection from the screen.

"And why should I?" I retorted with a sly grin. Alfred pouted.

"'Cuz the main dude's name is Artie and this takes place in England." I chuckled. I would have responded but at that moment the music kicked in and Alfred shushed me, his blue eyes looking at the screen with such intensity that I thought he was going to break it.

oOoOoOo

I yawned as the credits scrolled down the screen and looked over at Alfred who had fallen asleep not long ago. His stupid grin was still pasted to his face as he slept and I began to wonder if either of us could be in each other's presence without falling asleep at some point. As he let out a snore, I guessed not.

I stood quietly, removing the blanket from around my legs and maneuvering away from the sleeping young man. Making my way out of the room my stomach grumbled, calling out in its own secret language for food. "That's right." I mumbled to myself as I set my hands on my belly, "I never ate lunch..."

"Or breakfast from the sound of it either sweety." I looked up to see Alfred's mother standing in the doorway, an apron tied around her waist and her hair pinned back. Her smile was sweet and I blushed. "You must have been very tired last night. Alfred had to carry you up to your room so you didn't get a crick in your neck!" I felt my ears become warm as she laughed. "No worries sweets, you want a little somethin to eat before dinner?" I nodded, my face still a bright red as I followed her into the kitchen.

She shooed me into a chair as she bustled around, looking for something for me to eat and she came up satisfied with a slice of pie still warm from the oven. I dug my fork into it and began eating, the fork barely being seen from the plate to my mouth as I ate the pie like a ravenous beast. She chuckled. "Glad to see that you like my pie." I nodded with my cheeks puffed out, filled with pie.

"Mmmmmhm!" It was quiet except for the sound of my munching until she broke the silence (much like everyone does in Alfred's family).

"Thank you." I glanced up from my plate with a question reflecting on my face. "For becoming friends with Alfred." I swallowed and frown.

"It was no problem; I should really be the one thanking him for befriending me though." She shook her head and smiled.

"No," her blue eyes shown with something sad, "Alfred has always been a bit lonely. He moved out into the city to be closer to people." I put my plate down onto the counter. "Not many children liked him because of how loud and energetic he was. So he was alone often, his only friend being Matthew." My throat became dry. It wasn't that sad of a story, but I could understand why he was so protective of me. Why he came over my house every moment he could. She looked me in the eye. "Please don't let him be alone. I'm not sure if he could live without someone with him." The hugs, the touchy-feely he just wanted to know someone was there with him. He was as alone as I was.

"I...I won't. I would never do that to him." She smiled softly.

"I know. You are a good person Arthur." I blushed.

"Thank you Mrs. Jones." She laughed.

"Please, call me Alison." I nodded.

oOoOoOo

Alfred awoke some time later, stumbling into the kitchen with his eyes narrowed and his nose twitching. "Mom, is the pie ready?" She laughed, and fetched Alfred a plate. He took it gratefully and began to gorge himself on the pumpkin flavored treat. "Mmmmh, dish ish delishoush!" He slurred with the pie in his mouth. My nose wrinkled up in distaste and I began to scold him. Out of the corner of my eye as we argued, Alfred laughing and I brisling, I could see Alison smiling. Her eyes filled with mirth and a loving tone.

For the first time, in a long time I felt welcome some place that wasn't my own flat.

oOoOoOo

**AN: Hello everyone ^^ I just wanted to thank everyone who's been favouriting and reading this! It makes me wicked happy to know that people are reading this ^^**


	8. Thanksgiving with a Nightmare

Morning brought a bright sun and a cool autumn breeze to the Jones household. I was woken up to the loud sound of music echoing down the long hallway from the living room. I blinked lazily, stretching my arms out above me and I yawned, still feeling lethargic from a good night's rest. I heard a knock on my door and then it opened. Alfred walked in quietly, as if thinking I was still asleep. "Arthur." He whispered and I growled at him. He laughed. "Artie dude, it's time to get yer ass outta bed!" I would have yelled at him and corrected his grammar then, but I was still feeling passive from my sleep to care.

"What ever." I mumbled.

"Artie!" He whined. I chuckled and got up, shooing him out so I could get dressed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Mr. Jones and Alfred were sitting on the couch when I came down stairs, they were switching channels between football and the Macy's Parade. Matthew on the other hand was helping Alison in the kitchen as she made the Thanksgiving dinner. It smelled wonderful already. She smiled at me when I came in. "Good morning Arthur." She sang happily, were as Matthew gave me a curt nod and continued to mash potatoes. I shuffled back and forth on my feet.  
>"Is there anything I can do?" Alison stopped and rubbed her chin as if stroking an invisible beard. Then she nodded.<p>

"Yes, in fact there is something you can do for me dear!" I smiled happily, "Could you set the table for me? I would right now, but I still need to finish making the squash!" I nodded and she pointed out the table cloth, plates and silverware to set the table with.

I took great care as I set out the long cloth, feeling the smooth material and seeing how old it looked compared to so many things in the house. The dishes and silverware felt old to my fingers as well. The craft of them so different then other plates and forks then I had seen before. I smiled at my work as each seat held a plate with a fork, spoon, knife and napkin. Alison came into the dinning room and gave me a smile. "Thank you Arthur." She said and gave me a pat on the back.

She then had me do other various things to help get ready for the dinner. I peeled the potatoes and stirred the batter for the biscuits, feeling relaxed as ever in the house, now giving me the warm feeling of a home away from home. Once the oven beeped for the turkey, our dinner started.

Everyone found themselves seated at the large table, but I felt as if we were closer then we were the first night even though we were still spread out. John (as I had found out Mr. Jones' name when Alison had yelled at him to "get his sorry ass at the table and shut off the damn game") sat across from Alison and Matthew sat across from Alfred. I was seated next to Alfred of course and he grinned like an idiot when he pulled out my chair for me. I scowled but sat anyways.

Alison nodded and looked towards me. "Arthur, would you like to begin?" I froze.

"Er..." Alfred chuckled.

"With what you're thankful for dude." I blushed and nodded.

"I am thankful for…" I paused, "I am thankful for family." I stated simply. My eyes shuffled across the table to each person, hoping that this was satisfactory. Alison smiled and nodded.

"I'm thankful for food!" Alfred proclaimed loudly, a fork in hand and knife in the other. His grin shone brightly, as he glanced at me and I smiled back sheepishly.

"I'm thankful for guns." John said, and a cold chill ran up my spine as I knew he meant that as a threat and warning for me. Alison shot him a glare.

"I am thankful for this wonderful time we've spent together." Matthew said, smiling softly.

"And I am thankful for meeting Arthur." A deep blush ran across my face.

"Let's eat!" Alfred shouted then, his fork diving into the turkey, and ripping a leg off, to which he promptly dug his teeth into viciously. I chuckled and served myself some food as well, feeling my stomch grumble at the sent of the home made meal.

As soon as the food touched my tounge I began inhaling it, as did everyone else (excluding Matthew). We spoke loudly, and laughed like a real family would. It was a peace I hadn't felt in years.

It seemed to me that the Jones family was giving me everything I had lost in my memory and life, and I never wanted to have that taken away.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Saying goodbye was hard. I had grown attached to the crazy family over the four days I had spent with them, and I had never been good with goodbyes anyways. Alison gave me another swamping hug, much like the one she had given me the first day I had arrived at the large house with Alfred, though this time my face managed not to be shoved into her chest as she squeeze the living day lights out of me. She held me close and said to me, "Come back any time, yea?" I nodded into her shoulder and she held me at arms length, giving my cheeks a pat and then letting me go with a soft smile.

John on the other hand just narrowed his eyes at me and mouthed 'I'm watching you.' it brought chills up my spine but we shook hands and then he said "Try anything with Alfred and I'll rip your spine out through your neck." I gulped and nodded. He smiled and clapped my shoulder, "Good boy!" I turned to Matthew who was being crushed by Alfred and I gave him a sympathetic smile, which he returned after a moment.

Matthew shook my hand and gave me a quiet "goodbye" and not much more than that.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The drive home was silent unlike most of our visit. Alfred still wore his stupid grin, though it looked far more tired then his usual smile. His eyes held dark circles and I'm surprised he didn't fall asleep.

He parked his car near my flat and he lifted my things out of the trunk, his arms holding my suitcase for my taking. "Alfred," I began, as he relinquished my suit case from me. He looked up at me in question. I sighed, feeling awkward for asking but knowing he would be grateful for it. "Alfred why not you spend the night? You look completely drained." He didn't say anything for a moment, but he gained a soft and thankful smile. He gave me a light hug, not his usual spine crackers and far more tires as well.

"Thanks Artie." He said as he lifted one of his bags. I nodded and we set forth to my flat.

Not three seconds after Alfred had sat down on my couch to watch TV had he begun snoring softly, his head falling on his chest, and his golden hair covering his eyes. I chuckled quietly and placed a blanket over him after pushing him down she he was curled up horizontally on my old couch. He pulled the blanket up to his chin and smiled.

I headed to my own bed and saw Pumpkin lazing on my pillow, his head piping up with a sound only a cat could make. his eyes sparkled with excitement and he bounded over to me. I chuckled as he sunk his claws into my sweater vest (although I did wince as well for his claws dug into more then just my shirt). "Hello you stupid little beast you." I said lovingly. He purred and his tail swishes with happiness. "I take it Elizabeth took good care of you?" He rubbed his soft face against mine an I chuckled. "Good." I muttered, beginning to feel lethargic as well, "If she didn't I'd have to kill the crazy woman." I yawned and laid on my bed fully dressed and I sank into a peaceful sleep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next morning I awoke to the sent of food. And good smelling food at that. My stomach rumbled loudly an I licked my lips as I stood and stumbled my way from my room to the kitchen.

Alfred stood looking much better then he had yesterday and making eggs an bacon, the toast already on the counter. I took a piece and inhaled it down quickly, humming in content as Alfred placed the food in front of me.

He chuckled as I took my fork and gorged my food down, as I had been doing often. "So..." He began, my fork paused between my open mouth and my plate. A piece of egg fell from the fork, making the silence uncomfortable and very noticeable. Alfred shifted in his seat and I put my fork down, a blush on my cheeks. "Did you have fun?" I frown.

"What do you mean?" His hand went to the back of his neck.

"While we were at my folks' house... Did you have fun?" I nodded.

"Yes. I did. Your mother and brother are very kind. Although your father is quite..." I paused, searching for the right word, "Intense." Alfred laughed and I smiled.

"Yea he is kinda intense." He said after his laughter had died down. The silence returned, though this time around it was comforting.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

November couldn't have ended faster after that, brining along the unforgiving cold of New England, and not just in the air. The people as well seemed more bitter then usual. I just guessed that it was the new Starbucks* that was being built where a Dunkin' Doughnuts was supposed to. I know Alfred was upset and even flipped the building off a few times when we passed.

I breathed into my hands and then tucked my chin into my scarf as I rubbed my hands together feverishly. Alfred stepped out of the Dunkins and handed me a hot chocolate, which I gratefully accepted with a smile. We continued on with our walk Through the busy streets, fighting the crowds as we entered the common. Alfred gave a sigh of relief at the open space and handed me his drink. He took off running an laughing loudly. I chuckled as kids ran after him, giggling and stabling over their restricting snow suits. I sat myself down on a frozen bench and watched as even some of the older kids and teenagers joined in with Alfred's merriment. He skipped around the park, occasionally face planting into the few inches of snow lining the ground and then he jumped right back up, laughing loudly.

The sight of Alfred getting tackled by the children brought a smile to my face and a loud laugh. Alfred's head shot up at the sound and he looked at me in surprise as I was doubled over laughing. I laughed so hard it brought tears to my eyes and then I continued until I couldn't breath and until I was sobbing. Alfred just stood up, saying goodbye to the kids and lifted me onto his back. I didn't know why I was crying, but I hadn't cried in so many years that it felt good. Like a weight I had forgotten was there was lifting from my shoulders.

Alfred brought me home and sat with me as I exhausted myself and then he stayed the rest of the night.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The week after I had broken down Alfred was already talking about Christmas (he never mentioned the week before after that, for which I was grateful) and how exited he was for it. My heart did a sinking flip. Christmas? I hadn't even been thinking about the holiday, though I don't know how I forgot about it considering the store displays and the carolers. How had I forgotten about it?

Alfred spoke wildly about it, and then one day, in a surprising turn of conversation he invited me back to his family's home for Christmas. "T-that is if you aren't going back to England for the holidays..." He stuttered out one evening while we were making dinner. I paused in my vegetable chopping,(I was cutting the food up while Alfred was cooking it. I had lost my cooking privileges a month before) and I flinched at the name of my home country, looking at Alfred as a deep blush settled across his winter paled cheeks. I then looked back to my chopping and nodded.

"Sure." I said plainly, though something in my stomach jumped and screamed in fear and anguish. "Sounds like good fun, better then Thanksgiving was yea?" Alfred chuckled.

"Ah, I dunno bro, some of my cousins and our friends will be coming to." I frown, but not because I wouldn't have the Jones family all to myself.

"So... It's going to be like a party?" Alfred paused in his seasoning, the veggies almost fully coated and ready for cooking. Then he nodded.

"Ya could say that." He looked nervously at me and but his lip. "But some of them are staying over..." I glanced at him. "So... We," he said gesturing to the two of us, "Will be sharing a room." My shot down, chopping hard and I yelled out, pulling my hand close to my chest. Alfred jumped and began panicking. "Oh god! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I cursed as I looked at my hand, a deep slice ripping through the pale skin of my palm but not all the way through to the bone.

"Shit." I muttered as I watched the blood roll down my palm and wrist. "A-Alfred..." I muttered beginning to feel faint, memories crawling through my mind of blood spattered walls and cold flesh. What was this? I recognized those walls, I knew that place. I looked up to see Alfred's panicked expression as my knees buckled. Then everything became black.

_'Mummy?' I called as I walked down a distorted hall, stretching farther and farther away from the end, where I knew my mummy and daddy were. 'Daddy?' I called again, my voice small as well as the rest of me. 'Petey?' I reached the door, looking up and pushing it open. My eyes widened at the creamy walls turned a dripping vivid red. 'M-mummy? D-daddy?'_

_My voice was nothing but a whimper as I ran to them, feeling their cold flesh as I touched their faces and begged them to wake up. 'Mummy!' I yelled, seeing Peter on the floor as well. I lifted him into my arms and felt a warm liquid running down my arms, but I ignored it along with the freezing feeling of his flesh as well. 'Mummy! Wake up! Petey need your help!' Tears began flooding my cheeks. 'Daddy!' I yelled. 'Daddy tell mummy to wake up! Daddy!'_

_I held Peter close to my chest and screamed, but it was cut off by a large frozen hand covering my mouth. I froze, my body going as ridged as the bodies of my sleeping family were becoming. My eyes shifted from them, to the hand and then trailed up the arm that held the hand to meet purple**._

_'Time to sleep, da?'_

I woke up screaming. My throat burning and tears running down my face. Alfred rushed to me and grabbed my shoulders, trying to yell something to me over my screams. "Arthur!" He yelled, his eyes panicking and in pain but all I could see were the purple eyes. The dreaded purple eyes. Not just the ones I gave to the antagonist of my books, but the one that drove me here to America, the one that stole my family from me. The ones that had left me for dead, and taken that memory with them when they left at the sound of sirens.

"Noooo!" I screamed, my head thrashing back and fourth. "Please!" I began sobbing and I latched onto Alfred, my heart crumbling all over again. He tensed up, but sat down on my bed and rocked me back and fourth saying soft and comforting words.

"Shhh, it's all right." He whispered in my ear. "Everything's okay." I shook my head, but felt exhaustion kicking in.

"No..." I muttered, my throat sizzling as I swallowed down air. "No, Peter!..."

"It's okay Arthur, it was just a nightmare. Just a nightmare." Then I close my eyes and pretended he was telling the truth. That I hadn't ignored that memory for years, and that I hadn't forgotten what had driven me to leave my own country. "It was just a bad dream." He muttered into my hair, running his fingers through my messy blonde hair and then scrunching his fingered into a tight fist, putting just the right amount of pressure on my head. I sighed and hiccupped.

"Just a bad dream?" I muttered. I wanted to know he was telling me the truth. That it really was a bad dream. Alfred nodded.

"Just a bad dream." He stated. I sighed and relaxed into Alfred's arms.

"Thank you... Alfred..." He rested his head on my shoulder and relaxed as well.

"Go back to sleep Arthur. I'll be here when you wake up." And so I fell into a dreamless sleep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next morning was dreadful. I woke up feeling warmth surrounding my body and a soft beat pounding in my ears. I opened my eyes and yawned, looking down to see a pair of large arms around me. I froze. My eyes traveled up to see Alfred's sleeping face.

I screamed.

**AN: I'm sorry thayt the past two chapters have been late. Unfortunetly life hit a bit of a snag and even though this was written last week I'm late posting... **

**One of my friends commited suicide yesterday so the updates will be less I'm afraid until my school and I can reach a place of peace with his passing. I'm not sure how to react yet, but this chapter is dedicated to him. **

**Rest Easy Colby**

****

***In New England most people go to Dunkin Doughnuts. And the people who go there are strong followers of the D'D. I'm not even joking when I tell you that while going to Florida earlier this year my mum started to cry because there were no Dunkins around (although she was out of it at the time) and then she cried again when he did find a Dunkins. She ended up hugging the guy who got her coffee.**

****I'm not even gonna tell you who it is because you should know who I'm talking about. And yea, I kinda felt bad for murdering Arthur's family, but he did need a reason to be in America and why he isn't going to visit family for the holidays. And my reason? They are dead. Unfortunately, (for those of you who think "oh goody! A mystery!") the murder scene will be just as it is. A murder scene. I might do a little more with Ivan, but as far as you all know, Ivan is in jail in England and he won't be more then a mention from now on.  
>I know I threw this in here really fast too, but if you go back to the first chapter Arthur is a mental train reck (even if that is like only a few paragraphs) so let's equate that to the murders as well as other things, yea?<strong>


	9. Life Happens

The day started off so innocently an quiet, but of course it did because Alfred hadn't arrived yet. I was happy to know that he was visiting today and looking forward to it in fact. We hadn't seen each other in at least a week and he had planned to visit the Museum of Science (yes I know it's childish but the exibit on Harry Potter was open! Sue me!). But he never showed. 

And the next day and the day after that, and then the whole week had passed with not so much as a phone call from the idiot. I felt like a girlfriend, waiting for her boyfriend to call but I was worried. The last time we had spoken Alfred had sounded unusually happy. More so then usual. It was so happy, it was almost fake.

I bit my lip and stared at the phone. I called and it went right to voice mail. I called his apartment and it just rang and rang.

Now I was very worried. I scrolled through my contacts and saw Alfred's brother, Matthew (thank you contact information) and I rung him up. "Hello?" A quiet voice said. 

"Hello Matthew, it's Arthur-" 

"Arthur! Thank goodness you called! I need you to come out to my folk's house right now." I froze when the quiet man cut me off. His voice was so frantic. 

"I'll be there as fast as I can." 

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo 

I was there in about an hour, running from the cab and to the house. Matthew was waiting. "Thank you so much for coming, there's something wrong with Alfred! Mom said he showed up here a week ago and just locked himself in his room and hasn't come out since. Not even to eat!"

He opened his mouth to continue but I ran past him ad up to Alfred's room, throwing my weight onto the locked door of Alfred's room and getting thrown into a wall.

"Alfred!" I called, banging on his door. Why was I so panicked? Alfred was fine! "Alfred open up, it's me! Arthur!"

As if saying my name was the key the door opened. I blinked and pushed it open to a dark room, the shades pulled shut an the lights all off. "Shut the door." I heard a voice say. I obeyed and moved over to the bed where a trembling mass of blankets lay.

"Alfred..." I said as I peeled the blankets back from his face. My heart throbbed. He had been crying, that much I could tell from the red, puffy eyes and the horse voice. His messy hair was even messier and he was a sickly pale colour. He wrapped his arms around my waist and began to cry again and I let him, running my fingers through his hair and rocking back and forth until he calmed again.

It was silent for a moment or two before I spoke up. "Alfred, lad, what happened?" He sniffles and burrows his face into my stomach, speaking in muffled tones. I sighed. "I can't hear you."

"Died." He whispered. "He's dead." My being froze. Alfred whimpered and began crying again as he continued. "M-my friend! H-he..." He choked on air and wailed. "I could have done something!" He sobbed. "I could have stopped him!" I understood now and I held him as close as I could.

"You couldn't have done a thing Alfred. Death is something that just happens."

"Suicide isn't!" He cried out clutching my shirt. _Oh. _I watched as he cried feeling something angry fill me. He was too young for this. Too young to have to deal with suicide and death. His life should be a merry-go-round. Not this! I buried my face into his hair and inhaled. He smelt gross. Like old socks and moldy rooms. But what he smelt of didn't matter right now. I could get him into the shower later, now he needed me.

"It's not your fault Alfred." I whispered once his sobs had died down. He sniffled and pulled back, his eyes wide and unbelieving bit needing those words. "It's not anyone's fault. It's a sad and tragic thing when someone commits suicide. You are going to have so many questions and I don't think any one of them will be answered without bringing more questions up." He sucked in a breath but was silent. I thanked who ever was up there for the trust Alfred had in me. "Alfred..." I paused and sighed sadly, "Alfred I am so sorry. But at least they're happy right? And I'm sure they're watching over you right now to make sure you're okay. I know you won't be okay for a while, and I know it's going to be tough for a while but if you need to, I'm here for you." He blinked, blue eyes wide like a child's then they over flowed with tears as he hugged me close.

"I wanna go home..." He mumbled into my jacket. I pet his hair and rested my head on his own.

"You are home, love." He looked up at me.

"Your home." I blinked and smiled at him.

"Okay. Home it is."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

A friend who dies, it's something of you who dies. - Gustave Flaubert

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

**AN: This chapter takes place a little while after Thanksgiving. I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a few weeks. Life has just been working against me. A few weeks ago one of my friends committed suicide, for reasons unknown to me. You could say that in this chapter Arthur was more or less in my position because while everyone around me was crying I was the comforter. And even though he was my friend I wasn't as upset as everyone around me because I knew he was happy.**

**Chapter 9 should be out in the next week or so.**


	10. A Cold Christmas

Alfred's eyes shot open the second the cry left my mouth. He sat up with a sleepy look in his eyes, sending me over with a thud into my blankets. I crawled away from him sputtering.

"W-w-w-what th-the bloody h-hell are you doing in my b-bed?" His brows crease together as he looked around.

"Huh? Oh yea! You had a nightmare." I frown.

"A...nightmare?" He nodded.

"Yea! Right after you fainted!" My head was spinning now. Nightmare? Fainting? "Right after you cut yer hand." Alfred said in a quieter tone. He picked up my hand into his and I noticed the bandages. "It was pretty deep, but you were unconscious, and I didn't know if it needed stitches so I bandaged it for you..." I sighed.

"Thank you Alfred. I'm sorry if I worried you." He pouted.

"Ya don't need to apologize Artie. It's okay if blood makes ya faint." I stood up, noting I was still in the clothes I was wearing yesterday... Excluding my shirt... I looked up at Alfred ad he blushed brightly. "You got blood on yer shirt..." I nodded and began to shuffle around my room, pulling out a clean shirt and pants. "Who's Peter?" My body froze though my mind didn't. 'Peter? I know that name from somewhere. I know a Peter don't I? Did I?' A hand touched my shoulder and I jumped, my eyes flipping towards Alfred. His eyes glistened with worry. "Artie are you okay? I'm sorry if I upset you... I was just curious..."

'/Peter.../' I nodded.

"I'm fine." I said, my throat closing up. "Just thirsty." He nodded and left the room. I rested my head on the wall and my heart hurt. 'Who is Peter?'

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I accepted Alfred's invitation to stay for Christmas, though I would have to sleep in his room because Matthew would be sharing with someone else. But I didn't care much. He said that he had a blow up mattress I could sleep on and considering how comfortable the blankets and pillows they had were, I could care less.

Alfred was ecstatic and after that he began taking up extra shifts at his job, leaving me to my own devices.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I 'X'ed out another day on my calendar until Alfred and I headed back to his parents' home for Christmas. "Six days..." I muttered to myself as I lifted Pumpkin into my arms. He purred and rubbed his fluffy face against mine as I stared at the calendar in thought. I sighed and slouched over to the couch. "Pumpkin, what on earth do I get them?" I asked my cat aloud.

Pumpkin just meowed and nudged my hand onto his head, sitting up so it was resting above his ears. I chuckled and began rubbing his soft head. I hummed and began to smile. An idea or two popping into my head.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Alfred came to get me on the twenty third of December; our plan was to stat at his parents' house for a little over a week. He looked at everything I had cradled in my arms, my cat carrier being the largest. "Can't leave the 'beast' behind now can ya?" He said chuckling. I blushed furiously.

"I couldn't get anyone to care for him..." He just laughed and took my things, placing them in his car carefully.

"Don't sweat it. My folks would love 'im." I smiled and settled into the car.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Alison was waiting for us with open arms, her hugs just as awkward as when we first met but her smile much bigger. "Oh Arthur I'm so glad you could come." She said as she patted my cheek. I chuckled.

"I had no choice. Alfred would have dragged me here, yes or no." She laughed, the sound echoing through the property as she shooed us into the warm house with promises of warm food and drink.

I dragged my cat carrier up to the room Alfred and I were sharing and opened it up. A soft ball of orange and white fur flew out at me from the depths, hissing and spitting as Pumpkin pounced out after it. "Shhhh!" I hissed at the two of them, lifting the small Scottish fold into my arms. "You stay quiet, you hear me?" He blinked dully at me and placed his paw up against my face, extending his claws enough that I knew it was a threat. I scowled at the small cat and it crawled back into its cage, a dark look on its face as well as my own.

"Artie!" I heard Alfred call from the down the hall. I cursed under my breath and closed the cage, placing a blanket over it so Alfred couldn't see inside of it. I stood up, glancing around the room to make sure everything was placed perfectly to bring up no suspicions of gifts and with a satisfied nod I left.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Artie, Artie, Artie!" Alfred yelled as he bounced on my blow up bed, hitting my legs in the process. I groaned and flung my arm in the direction of his voice as he continued to jump on my bed. "Artie!" He whined. "Come on!" I sighed and rolled onto my back to come face to face, noses brushing, to Alfred. A stupid grin grew on his face. "It's time to wake up Artie." He then jumped off of me and rushed from the room, laughing as he ran through the hallways, leaving me with a growing blush.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I could have been angry with the big, blonde oaf, but his cheerful look as I took my place at the table next to him was enough to sedate my irritation. He grinned and barked out a good morning to me before he jumped out of his seat, telling me to stay while he got us food. He ran out of the room as Matthew entered and shot a tired glare after his brother. He then glanced towards me, "He woke you up to?" I nodded and he patted me on the shoulder. "He's like a puppy," he said, "Never ending energy." I groaned.

"Don't I know it." I mumbled as Alfred stumbled back into the dining room, two plates in hand. He placed one in front of me, full of eggs, bacon and toast, but defiantly not as much a he had piled onto his plate. I frown in disgust as he began wolfing down his food, not even taking time to breath, just inhaling it all like he would air. He glanced up at me from his plate.

"Da fee if 'n da-" I held up my hand before he could finish and I took my napkin, wiping it across my face and then leaning over to wipe off his own.

"Honestly Alfred you're like a child," I scolded as he grinned dumbly and swallowed. "Chew your food and _swallow_ before speaking." He giggled as I scowled and I pinched the bridge of his nose with my napkin still in hand. His face became bright red and as he opened his mouth to speak again a new voice popped in. A new, far more annoying voice.

"Ah, mon ami! What are you doing here?" I spun around quickly and bellowed out a loud,

"Frog!" My nose wrinkled in distaste as I came face to face with one of my co-workers. Another author, one of smarmy and detailed love stories that desperate middle aged woman read to escape the realities of their dull life; much like _Twilight_ is for delusional teenage girls. He grinned one of his large slimy grins as he tried to snake his arms around my waste.

"What a coincidence for us to meet here, non? I would say fate has brought us together once again~." I felt a blush spread across my face and my eyes grow wide as he puckered his lips in my direction. I let loose a cry of many undesirable words and aimed my knee at just the right angle and he went down. Tears prickled at the edges of his eyes as I grinned madly down at his prone figure.

"Haha! That is what you get for trying to molest me!" I leaned down and said just above a whisper, "And if you try again you can say goodbye to that precious organ of yours." He nodded fearfully, but I knew he would try again later. I stood up and dusted myself off, turning to Alfred, who sat with his mouth agape and blue eyes as large as his breakfast. "Where did you say the tea was?" He blinked and mumbled something about the kitchen. I nodded and gave a curt thank you and stepped over Francis and walked into the kitchen. This was going to be a very long week.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was cold. Scratch that, it was very cold. Having escaped the chaos of the house, I has snuck up onto the roof, don't ask me how, and it was _very_ cold out. But of course it would be bloody cold out, it was snowing! I shivered as another flake landed on my nose, but this time it didn't melt like the others had. Another strong shiver wracked my body and I cursed silently. Stupid Alfred for being Francis's cousin. Stupid Francis for being a pervert. Stupid Francis for being stupid. I closed my eyes when I felt a warmth envelope me. "Stupid Arthur." I heard Alfred mumble. I would have opened my eyes, but I was too cold to move now. "Arthur." He whispered and this time my eyes did open, even though I was too cold, and I was too tired. "Arthur look at that sunset." My eyes drifted up to the sun and the breath got caught in my throat. It was beautiful. It was like a painting, so beautiful I couldn't even say it was something of nature. It was too beautiful.

"'lfr'd." I mumbled and his eyes moved from the sunset to my eyes. "M c'ld." He chuckled, a deep one from his stomach. I could feel it shake through me.

"Let's go inside." I nodded and didn't even care as he carefully moved me back into the house through a window.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Later that evening, after another chaotic dinner and Alison cooing over me because I couldn't stop shivering, I laid in my blow up bed with several blankets piled up over my body. My teeth still chattered, but I was too tired to care. As my eyes were drifting shut, a soft whisper came from above me. "Hey Arthur?" I blinked lazily and turned my head ever so slightly to look into Alfred's big, blue concerned eyes. I made a soft humming sound in reply. "Why were you out in the roof today?" I blinked once more, actually looking at other, squinting a bit in the dark. His eyes were so large and child-like and his face, though it had lost most of its baby fat it still had a bit of chub in his cheeks.

"It was too loud." I whispered in return. He frowned and leaned closer, eyes egging me on to elaborate on my simple answer. "I…" My voice drifted off as my teeth chattered together once more. Alfred's brows scrunched together and he climbed out of his bed, lifting me up with an indignant squawk and laying me down in his own bed where he promptly wrapped his gangly arms around me. "The hell!" My voice rising as he slapped a hand down over my mouth.

"Shhhh." He hushed. "People are sleeping." I bit his finger and he released me, glaring at me from under his bangs. "That hurt…" He mumbled.

"Good." I hissed. He made a huffing sound and scooched closer to me, but not close enough that our shoulders touched.

"So… why were you on the roof?" He was a persistent bastard he was.

"I… don't work well with crowds." I mumbled quietly. I waited for him to speak but not sound came from him. "I know there weren't a lot of people at your house, but… there was to me. I felt like I was suffocating. Especially with Francis around." I practically spat my last sentence out. Alfred snorted.

"You would think after kicking a man in the balls three times would give him a hint." I scoffed.

"You would think that now wouldn't you." We both gave a forced laugh, silence falling once it had finished. Alfred squirmed a bit and settled.

"Arthur," he began, "If you get uncomfortable tomorrow, just tell me, okay?" I snorted.

"Yea, sure." He rolled over to face me, a serious glint in his eyes.

"I mean it Arthur. I don't want you to be uncomfortable here. You're like another brother to me." My eyes widened at that. Had we really become _brothers_ in the short few months that we had known each other? That close? I felt something warm in my chest and I smiled. Damn this man and his family for taking me in. Alfred smiled too. I take back the damning of them; just damn Francis and his unwanted wandering hands. Maybe I should chop them off… Alfred yawned and stood up, moving down to the blow up mattress below me.

"Alfred?" He glanced up at me, a sleepy smile on his face.

"You take the bed tonight Artie." Pumpkin meowed from his crate as well as the unnamed kitten, luckily Alfred couldn't tell the difference. He laughed. "Night Pumpkin. Night Arthur." He laid down and drifted off to sleep quickly.

"Good night Alfred." I glanced at the clock just in time to see it reset for a new day. "And Happy Christmas."

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

**AN: And so we have reached the beginning of the end. After this chapter, there will only be 4 chapters left. I want to apologize with how long it's taken for me to get this chapter out, and for no actual Christmas day festivities in this chapter. Life has been pinned against me for this chapter and I know that fully well and unfortunately, since I suck at writing anything with France in it, we're skipping the actual Christmas day, but next chapter will have some vague descriptions of Christmas day and the shit that went down.**

**And yea, I do hate to kill everyone with that whole "brother" thing but dude! I support bromance! Because the bro comes before the romance.**


	11. Asthma

Something was wrong. I could feel it deep in my bones the minute Alfred had whisked me out of a meeting with my editor (though she said it was fine and I needed a life anyways) and sat me down, not at a MacDonald's, but at my favorite tea shop in the city. But I knew it was something bad from the way he looked. Dark circles under his bright blue eyes, his skin had become much paler then it should have, even in the winter time and he seemed distracted. He kept checking his phone and jumping at every little sound. "Alfred," I began once I had received my tea and he his coffee. His eyes shot up to mine and then back to his phone which rested casually on the table between us. "Alfred, what's wrong?" He swallowed and I watched his Adam's apple bob.

"Mattie." He mumbled and I frowned.

"What's happened?" He ran his hand through his hair and let out a deep breath.

"I dunno." He said simply. His eyes rested again on his phone. "I just don't know."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Asthma. Matthew had asthma. Reoccurring asthma to be more specific. Apparently he had had it as a small child and the harsh winter had brought it back. He was fine all and all, but Alfred was afraid. He was worrying over his brother. So it was decided that he would stay with me for a little while. A week or two. Just for things to settle down.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

He was gone most days. Work I assumed. He would come home, tired and crabby, nothing like is usual happy go lucky self. He would snap at me, then apologize. And I would nod and forgive him. I understood. He was worried. It was natural. And at least he was nice to the cats. Pumpkin still adored the man and Mifisto, as he so lovingly called his demon cat, was reluctantly affectionate.

Though they were long and hard, those two weeks, it was nice. I didn't have to be alone all the time and I got to see Alfred more than ever, even if he was sour most of the time now a days.

He got better once Matthew had received his new inhaler. I could see it in his eyes. Everything was going to be just fine.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Snow, snow and more snow. Nearly five bloody feet of the god damned white fluffy substance. Hadn't we already had enough of it? I guess not considering how it was still snowing. Would it ever stop? Alfred smashed my door open and I glanced up at the bundled up man. He had been coming over more and more often since moving back into his flat. He said it was because mine was closer to his place of work but I think he was lonely too.

Mifisto and Pumpkin were curled up next to each other as Alfred and I watched a movie. It had been a long day. I don't know why though, the sun had set so early and I had been out of bed so late today. And yet, I was falling asleep. I could feel my eyes closing and my muscles relaxing. My head drooped down to my chest and then I was falling and I fell right into Alfred's lap. I wanted to move but I was so tired. It was so strange, I had only been conscious for just a few hours and now, here I was again drifting off. I felt Alfred relax as well and his fingers drifted to my hair and he began running them through it. "Working yourself to death again Artie? You know what Elizabetha said." I cursed them both in my head. Of course she would tell him to watch me like a mother hen does her chicks. And of course he would listen. I muttered a soft curse and Alfred chuckled. "Go to sleep Arthur." And that is exactly what I did.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

It became routine, after that night, for Alfred to storm over and declare a movie night, in which we would watch a boring American film and I would fall asleep, only to wake up the next morning in my own bed. It became so routine in fact, that Alfred began leaving Mifisto at my flat so that he wouldn't be lonely.

Alfred was late that day, and I was beginning to nod off in front of my new laptop, which had been a gift from the Jones. Apparently Alfred had told them that my computer was old and out of date, which I guess it was considering how I could type out a sentence and wait an hour for it to appear on the screen (don't get me wrong though, the laptop was a wonderful gift and not a day has gone by that I haven't used it). It was a boring day. Writer's block being the cruel mistress that it was had clutched my mind and slowed it to an unnaturally slow pace so that even the telly could not hold my attention for more than a few minutes at a time. Just as my cheek met the keyboard I heard my door open, softer than usual and the floorboards creaked as someone walked across them. I heard a sigh and I felt my body rise from my chair after two arms had gotten secured under my knees and my arms. "Damn it Artie you need to stop doing this." I grumbled quietly and let one arm swing out to smack Alfred on the head. Direct hit. "Come on Artie~" He said, his voice growing louder by the word. "It's time to wake up~!" I opened a single eye to see his smug grin. I closed it again and scowled.

"Now why would I want to wake up when all I have to look at is your hideous face." He snorted and I knew he was putting on his puppy dog eyes now.

"That's just mean, Artie."

"Ar-thur." I said in response, opening both eyes as I reached up and pinched his nose. "My name is Arthur. Not that botched up malfunction of a name you call me." He rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out, trying to lick my hand. "Git!" I screeched as the slimy organ touched my hand. "Do you know how much bacteria and germs there are on that?" But of course, being hypocritical I caught his tongue in my fingers and held it tight. He winced and let out a whine.

"Ahhteee!" He whined and I scowled. "Wet mah tonge goo!" I rolled my eyes and released it, storming off to the bathroom to wash the saliva off my hand.

I glanced up into the mirror while I scrubbed my hands and frown. When had the circles under my eyes gotten so dark? I shook my head and dried my hands walking out to join Alfred on my couch, ignoring him as he bounced up and down on the cushions proclaiming the awesomeness of the movie he had picked out.

This time I didn't fall asleep and I stayed awake through the whole film. Alfred was the one to fall asleep, his head falling on my shoulder and his breath coming out in small puffs. I glanced at him from my peripheral and smiled softly. Such a child.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

I didn't know much of what had been going on, but from what I did know, the inhaler wasn't working well. And from what I can guess from that, Matthew wasn't getting better.


	12. The Truck

I was able to tell when he had a good day from a bad day from how Alfred was. If his face looked sunken and the dark circles under his eyes were darker than usual (as was his mood) then it was a bad day for Matthew. If he was his usual self, Matthew was fine. Unfortunately, he did not have good days often. And this day in particular had started off badly. He had arrived at my flat and began snapping at me the moment he laid eyes on me. I had let it go but it still hurt to have my friend say such things. But as Alfred and I watched one of his favorite movies, his phone began to ring. Our eyes darted to it and Alfred lifted his phone from the table, I watched as the blood rushed from his face. He answered the phone and rose from his seat.

His brows furrowed together furiously and he spoke madly as he rushed from my flat, me following at his heels. "Alfred what's wrong? Alfred?" He was glaring at the ground as he walked his eyes unbelieving and angry. "Alfred?" I chirped as we reached the street. He slammed his phone shut and said nothing. "Alfred?" He spun around and I stepped back.

"Shut the hell up Arthur." My mouth shut and I shrunk back as he continued to yell at me and cuss at me, the people on the street giving us strange looks but walking on. "Shut up." It was a whisper now, and I was truly afraid. "You don't give a shit about what's wrong. You don't give a shit about my life. You don't give a shit about anything or anyone but yourself. So shut the hell up." It was hard to breath now. It was so cold and Alfred's words even colder. Had I been so cruel to him? I must have been. I must have been horrible to him. He would never say these things if I wasn't. "You know nothing about me or my family. So get the hell away from me, and the hell out of my life." What had brought this on? These cruel words, did I deserve them?

"A-alfred?" I whispered, I felt tears rolling down my cheeks as it began to snow. I reached for him as he began to walk away. "Alfred! Please! I don't understand." He spun around and jabbed a finger in my chest.

"You've been taking me from my brother when he needs me, you selfish, self-centered bastard. He's in the hospital. With pneumonia. A dangerous case of pneumonia. And you've been taking me from him." He spat the words at me and I stumbled back. So that was it. I had taken him from his brother. He scowled at me and spun on heel, treading out into the street. My mouth opened and closed a few times, and my heart clenched. But then I had not time to wallow in the pain of the words. Because a truck was barreling down the street. And it was heading right towards Alfred. I felt my heart begin to race and before I knew it I was racing out into the snow laced road, my hands shooting out towards him as the head lights swarmed my vision.


	13. Without

His funeral was beautiful. Or as beautiful as a funeral could be. My heart ached as he was lowered into the ground, my friend, my only friend, who hated me in the last moments of his life.

I was too late.

My heart burned then as I heard the thump of coffin meeting with soil. The hand full of dirt was cast and I tossed some in as well.

Then I left.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Life was a haze after he died. Probably because I was drunk every waking moment of the day, or unconscious in a pile of empty beer bottles.

Pumpkin was fine surprisingly even though I never fed him. He caught mice instead. He would walk around me as I slept and he would cry.

It was in those times that I heard his voice. He would talk to me, torture me. Why? Why was he doing this?

His voice, it hurt me ripped my heart out of my chest and that stuffed it on a spit. I would hear him crying, and talking, and I would scream. I would scream and I would scream until my lungs were out of air and my throat wouldn't make a sound.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Eventually the booze ran out. And I became the zombie I was once again. Elizabeta was worried for me. She would send her boyfriend to check on me every week when she couldn't come.

He would enter my flat, then tisk at the mess. He would clean it, and send me to the bathroom for a shower. He'd make me food and then set it out on the table and make me eat.

Then he would leave.

She would do the same, but she stayed longer. We would sit on the couch and stroke my hair as I cried, and asked why.

She never answered, but she would always make me feel better, even if she did take away all my alcohol and give it to that damn German I use to go drinking with.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

I was sure I was going crazy after the first few days. It started as a dull murmur, working its way into voices. It was Alfred's family. It was Elizabeta. It was Francis (the damn man). It was everyone I knew. But mainly, it was Alfred, his brother and his mother. They spoke to me, softly, begging for things I couldn't understand. They would ask me to wake up, to move my hands, to blink, to eat, to get better. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. The voices. The voices. The god damned voices! Begging me and speaking to me. I couldn't take it. Just hearing Alfred was bad enough. But hearing his mother? Hearing Alison in her sweet motherly tone, softly asking me to get better and telling me stories that made no sense. It hurt. She should be angry with me. She should hate me. She should loath me with her entire being. I was the reason Alfred had died. And Matthew spoke to me too. He spoke calmly, asking for me to get better for Alfred.

I couldn't do it. I couldn't live like this.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sometimes I dreamed of his voice still as I floated through life as a ghost.

What day was it? Who was I? What am I doing? I never was answered for those questions.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Had months pasted, or had years?

I didn't know any more.

So I wrote. They were stories of utter disappear and the company still published them.

I had money again, but I didn't want booze.

I wanted the voices to stop.

And I wanted the cheer in my life back.

I wanted Alfred back.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

My life fell back into the old patterns from before I had known him. I drank. I slept. And I cried. The voices were still plaguing my mind with every passing moment. I wanted death to take me.

And then one day, six months after he had left this world, I heard a window break. I turned around and saw the window that Alfred had crawled through so many months ago, smashed and open. But stead of blue, my eyes met with purple. Fear gripped me, but so did glee.

This person, this terrifying man is going to kill me. Finally. I was going to get my wish.

He grinned much like a child would.

He raised a pipe into the air.

"Time to wake up, da?" It smashed into my skull and I knew nothing more.


	14. The End

_He raised a pipe into the air.  
>"Time to wake up, da?" It smashed into my skull and I knew nothing more.<em>

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The first thing I felt while I was swimming in the black abyss was a warm breeze on my cheek. It wasn't too cold, but it wasn't too hot either. It felt like something you would get on a lightly windy day in the late summer. The second thing I felt was the rest of my body. It was covered in a light sheet and laid gently around me. My arms were resting above the sheet, palm up for one hand and the other, palm down. For the one facing down, it was encased in something warm and feeling. It was a comfort.  
>The next thing I realized was that someone was talking to me. I knew the voice. I knew it by heart, and I wanted to respond. I felt something down my throat. I began to panic. My body began shaking violently and I started to choke.<br>The voice called for help and I could then hear a loud, erratic beeping sound. More hands grabbed me and my eyes flew open to a plan white room, but I was surrounded by faces I didn't know. Panic clung to me. I tried to scream for help but it was cut off as the object shoved down my throat began to retreat.  
>I screamed once it was out. Then the blackness took me again.<p>

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was talking to me again, begging me for something. What was it saying? I didn't care anymore. I didn't deserve to live. I deserved to die.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

I began to make out words now. They were strange and made no sense to me, but they were comforting.

"...burgers...epic...hero...sorry..."

A few times later I could hear a whole sentence.

"But you already know how I learned not to feed French fries to lions don't you?"

Soon I was able to hear a whole story. I began to wish that I could wake up again so I could speak with the person who sat with me every day. But I knew it would hurt. This man sounded like _him_. But _he_ was dead.

Some days when the voice was silent or laced with tears, it would tell me to come back, tell me that I was loved and people missed me.  
>'Lies.' I thought because I knew the only person who ever cared was dead. And he didn't even care about me anymore. So why should I not be dead too?<p>

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

I felt him touch my hand today. It was a silent day. The voice begged me to wake up or do something. I squeezed the hand. They cried.

I felt the tears stain my shirt as he hugged me. I felt their warm breath on my chest as they gasped for air like they were dying. They told me words of congratulations. They praised me for the simple gesture. They thanked me for the movement.

They stayed longer that day.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

It was a bright day when I finally opened my eyes. The sky was a beautiful shade blue, and the birds were singing. I heard a gasp and looked towards my arm. I felt fear. I began crying and trying to get my hand away but he would not release my hand. Garbled and slurred words fell from my mouth like a waterfall. Those big blue eyes covered by thin wire framed glasses, that golden blonde hair with the one rebellious strand. The tan skin, lightened to a tone of winter. That face.

I screamed. 

He cried.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

It had been a dream, they said. Some sort of coma dream. A world I had landed myself in after I had pushed Alfred out of the way of the oncoming truck. The dream had just been in place as preparation for the worst.

I should be dead, they said. I had broken so many of the bones in my body, my lung had been punctured, my skull fractured, cracked, so much blood washed into the street. I should be dead.  
>But I'm not.<p>

Alfred had sat by my side every day for the past year that I had been away, locked in my mind. He read me books, told me stories, and just talked. He told me everything, and I had listened (not like I had much of a choice). And when he couldn't sit by my side, he had someone else. He had his mother, his brother, Elizabeta, Francis (though Matthew was always with him when he came).

After they had examined me and left us alone, Alfred hugged me, and then he cried. He told me everything he had felt, everything he had wished, everything he had prayed, and how when I opened my eyes and was afraid of him, how devastated and heartbroken he was. He thought he had lost me again. He thought his last words to me had been so hateful. He hadn't been able to forgive himself.

I called him a fool.

He called me a hero.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The night I came home from the hospital Alfred came with me.  
>He had told me that he had sold his apartment to care for mine and pay the rent. He had gotten another job to pay for it and then another to help with the hospital bill. I had a roommate now.<p>

We sat on the couch like we always did, watching telly as our cats chased each other around.

Alfred eventually fell asleep with his head on my lap as we watched TV. I sighed and let my eyes wander around the flat, thinking of everything that had happened and that was going to happen now. I had missed a year. A whole year. My body was still weak and my mind was still muddled, but I had missed a whole year. My hands traveled down to Alfred's head and my fingers began to thread their way through his hair. He let out a soft hum and he smiled. I sighed and let my head rest on my couch. My eyes traveled around my flat. Not much had changed here besides Alfred's objects of possession now housed here as well.

My eyes fell on the window I use to sit and stare out of at the people below.  
>I smiled and chuckled.<p>

It was open.

_Fin_

**AN: We have now reached the end of our tale, and I thank you all for reading ^^**

**There might be another epilogue, to go after this epilogue, or a piece of this told in Alfred's point of view, but I'm not sure yet (most likely I will do a piece told by Alfred). I do hope you all enjoyed and again, thank you for reading ^^**


	15. Bonus Round!

**AN: Hey all ^^ Here is the bonus chapter told in Alfred's point of view (mainly for chapter 11 and 13). It should clear up any confusion any one has on what happened~**

**And here's another bonus, I'm writing a sequal to this story ^^ It will be told in Alfred's point of view and if all goes well the first chapter should be posted this upcoming weekend!**

**Enjoy!**

I could see the truck coming out of the corner of my eye long before my brain registered its approach. I could feel my body start to freeze up and shut down as the blinding lights of the truck filled my vision. It was in that moment that I realized I was going to die in which I felt two hands slam into my back and send me flying forward into the sidewalk. My head was ringing and spinning as it collided with the cement and the world was a blur.

I heard tires screech as well as several screams, my brain barely registering what was going on as I watched snowflakes fall to the ground. Though my head was throbbing I sat up. I blinked; the world was fuzzy and cold. I lifted a hand to my face and felt no glasses resting on my nose. I would have looked for them if I hadn't seen the blurry figure of a man collapsed in front of the truck. I stood on shaky legs and I stumbled forward.

He was just lying there, on his side, splayed out as if he was sleeping. His eyes were half closed and each breath he drew rattled in his chest. I felt my knees connect with the pavement and my hands touched him lightly, drawing back at the warm sticky liquid. "Arthur." I whispered my voice dry and cracking with tears. My hands found his shoulders and I gave him a very gentle shake, "Arthur." I said my voice raising an octave, "Arthur wake up!" I could feel the eyes of the people around me settle on us, surrounding us. I felt like I was suffocating. No, no, no! He was okay; he was just sleeping, just sleeping, yea that's what he was. Just sleeping.

Hands gripped my jacket and I was pulled back and away from Arthur and my hands flew out, fingers trying to grasp him and I was on my back. Faces drifted in my view and I hear them asking questions, but they weren't important. "Arthur!" I screamed, fighting the hands. "Arthur!" More hands fell on my shoulders and they were comforting, a voice whispering things like 'it's all right' and 'just relax'. The tears that I didn't know were in my eyes flowed freely as I looked at the snow falling. It was so pretty, so beautiful. I turn my head and watched as they moved Arthur oh so carefully, lifting his sleeping body onto the gurney and into an ambulance. My eyes followed them until I was inside my own ambulance.

"I'm sorry."

oOoOoOoOoOo

My hospital stay was short in terms of me being a patient. In terms of me being a visitor, it was every day with every hour I could spare. Nothing stopped me from staying past visiting hours and well into the night, because Arthur needed me.

In all this time, I had been the one to need Arthur, in my mind he was my escape from reality, my source of real joy. He was my best friend, but I was no friend to him. I put him in this white unfeeling room, surrounded by machines that beeped and purred as he stayed in his non existing state.

The doctors said he had fallen into a coma. They didn't know how long he would be in it for or if he had brain damage. He could end up being a potato for the rest of his life. After learning all this I shut down, only really awakening when Arthur was involved. I gave up all my things, selling them to help pay for his hospital bills. I sold my apartment as well and moved into his, to care for his things and keep it just the way it was for his return, because he would return. He would come back to me.

oOoOoOo

One day as I was sitting in the hospital with him just six months after the accident, talking about useless things as I usually did when I noticed the constant calm beat of the heart monitor was picking up. My mind froze and he began choking on the tube that was helping him breath. I called for help and it came. Doctors and nurses rushed in and pushed me out. I could feel the world around me spinning again. What if he died alone in that room of strangers? I spun around and pushed in, watching as they removed the tube.

Arthur's eyes were wide open and unseeing, but he was struggling to breath, struggling to breathe on his own, no tube shoved down his throat to pump oxygen into his lungs. His body was rejecting it and the second it came out he let a piercing scream and passed out, falling into a restful sleep but breathing on his own. I felt tears begin to flow down my cheeks as I made my way back over to the chair next to his bed. No more tube needed. One less machine attached to him. One more step to him returning.

oOoOoOo

It was a warm day, not too long after they had removed the breathing tube. But it was one of my off days. I felt like I couldn't speak or I'd vomit. So I just held his hand, begging him to wake up. "Please Artie, wake up. Please come back, I'm so sorry I didn't mean anything I said. Please just…" My throat closed up, "Just do something, please." I rested my head on the bed and I felt something in my hand move. I looked up and felt the squeeze again. I let out a sob and shot forward, carful of what injuries he still had as my arms laced around him and I cried. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh god Artie, Arthur, thank you. You're amazing, good, thank you!" I just babbled for a while longer before resting my head on his hand and continuing my praise, just at a softer octave.

oOoOoOo

It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright and shining, the birds were singing and I don't think I had ever seen a bluer sky. But what made it so beautiful was that Arthur woke up. I sucked in a deep breath and his eyes shot from the window, to me. I could feel them running over every inch of me as if trying to find a fault. Then he began crying and his mouth opened and let loose word after word that was garbled like his mouth was full of stones. Then he screamed and curled away from me.

I felt tears rolling down my face in horror and joy. He was awake, but he feared me.

oOoOoOo

The doctors spoke with him privately, but when I was allowed in I spilled everything. I cried and clung to him and apologized for everything I had said, feeling the world mending itself around me as I did so. He called me a fool for all these thoughts and feelings. I just called him a hero

oOoOoOo

I was the one to bring him home from the hospital. He didn't seem to mind that I had moved in, in fact he seemed happy. I tried to stay awake with him as we sat on the couch like old times, but my eyes were heavy and I felt so relaxed I couldn't help it. I could feel myself falling and my head resting someplace that was defiantly not a shoulder or a pillow, but I could care less as I felt fingers work their way through my hair. I let out a content hum and fell into a deep sleep, knowing that when I woke Arthur would still be there and he would be just fine.


End file.
